A few hours later, everyone took a break for lunch. The Grants, Gabe, Thatchers, and Charlotte had grabbed a spot under the tree to eat. Elizabeth and Gabe fell into easy conversation while Nathan sat just listening.
"So, what brought you to Aberdeen to stay with Charlotte, Elizabeth," Gabe asked. Casting a glance over to see where the girls were, she said, "It's a bit complicated, but I know Charlotte through her son Jack," Elizabeth paused, "Well, and Tom, who is actually courting my baby sister Julie."
"How do you know, Jack?" Nathan asked curiously.
"He is, or I guess was, the Constable in Hope Valley though at the time it was Coal Valley. My father arranged for him to be posted there when I chose to take a teaching position there. Of course, Hope Valley is a bit more civilized than it was when we got there. But Jack wasn't happy about it because he originally had a posting in Cape Fullerton. I'm just grateful he wasn't in town yet when I burned down the teacherage my first night there." Elizabeth said with a chuckle.
"You burned down the teacherage?" Nathan chuckled.
Elizabeth laughed "Yes, I was trying to dry out my dress because I only had one. I was actually late getting to Coal valley because the stage was robbed, and I was left stranded overnight. Luckily Abigail took me in and put a roof over my head and clothes to wear until I could replace mine. The mothers were quite skeptical of me when they met me. One actually wanted to send me home that day, but lucky for me, the stage only ran once a week. I was shocked to find that I would be teaching out of the saloon during the day. Eventually, I won them over though it took actually going into the mine with the widows to help clear the shafts in order to keep their homes. You see, three months before I got there, a mine explosion took the lives of 47 men. A few days after I arrived, on the day that Jack arrived, they found the last of the men. Two of them were Abigail's husband and only child."
"Wow!" Gabe said. "That would be a lot to process in such a short time, especially if you are unfamiliar with frontier life."
"Oh yes, but then add in the fact that Jack and I disliked each other shortly after we met. Although I have to say, in all fairness to Jack, I really didn't make his job easier and went out of my way to butt heads with him. I was determined to prove his assessment of me wrong as well as show my father I could handle frontier life. It's funny now because I find I'm in the same boat, only the person I need to prove my worth to is myself." Elizabeth said, standing up to go get a drink and take care of her plate. She needed a break in the conversation because the conversation had started into forbidden territory, and she hadn't meant to tell them the last part of her sentence.
They watched her walk away, wondering what was wrong. It was Charlotte who actually filled them in. "She and Jack courted for a few years, but just before he volunteered for the North, he broke things off with Lizzie. Suffice it to say that some of the things he said have caused insecurity in her. It's only been a few weeks, and it's still a bit painful for her. But Jack had just lost a Mountie brother who accepted a position after Jack turned it down, and he blamed himself and Lizzie, too."
"I can't even imagine how difficult that would be on both of them," Nathan said. "I can also relate to the feeling of having to prove something to others and myself too." Charlotte knew that he was referring to the fact that his father was a thief and in prison. As a Mountie, he even once had to arrest him when Archie was apprehended when they cracked a smuggling ring.
Seeing Elizabeth returning, Charlotte stood up to go get another drink, and Gabe followed her. Elizabeth sat down again next to Nathan.
"Moira told me that you are getting out of the Mounties in a few months?" Elizabeth asked.
Nathan nodded shyly. "I promised Colleen if I ever had to be guardian to Allie, I would. I actually just got posted back here in Aberdeen to finish out my contract. One of the Mounties here needed to be closer to his home, which happened to be where I was, so they swapped us around."
"Oh, that must make your mother and Allie happy," Elizabeth said. Nathan loved the way her eyes sparkled and how genuine she was. "Do you know what your plans are when you're no longer a Mountie?"
Nathan was excited to talk about the next step for him. "I'm going to be working at the Mountie equestrian breeding center along with helping run the ranch, of course."
"Really," Elizabeth said. "I'm trying to see if my horse Sweetie would qualify to be part of the program."
"Maybe I can help," Nathan said. "How long are you going to be here?"
"It's actually an open-ended visit with no return date as of right now. Currently, there's nothing for me in Hope Valley since I can't teach."
"How long have you been a teacher? And why can't you teach?"
So Elizabeth explained about Ray Wyatt and his attempt at using a letter from School Superintendent Higgins to ruin her reputation. "So the current teacher has a year contract, and unless she gives it up, it stands. Speaking of teachers, Nathan, can you tell me about the one here and what I have to do to register Opal for school?"
Nathan filled her in and then said, "I'm not so sure that you will be happy with her. Allie hasn't done very well with her."
"What seems to be the issue? Is it something that Allie struggles with the classwork or something else?" Elizabeth asked, genuinely concerned. "Allie strikes me as being very bright. You can tell, looking at her, sometimes there's a lot of thinking going on inside." They both chuckled over that.
"I wish I knew. I know that Allie has been struggling to make friends and is usually quiet, so I was shocked to see the ease she has with you and Opal. She almost seems like the old Allie before her mother died." Nathan said.
"Maybe I can keep my eye on things and see if I can pinpoint the source of the problem." Elizabeth offered.
Nathan smiled, "You would be willing to do that for Allie?"
OF course, I would," Elizabeth said, reaching over and covering his hand with hers. "I fell in love with Allie from the first moment we met. I won't let anyone give up on her or leave her behind, even if I have to tutor her myself. Rest assured, Nathan, I will figure out what is going on and help you correct it."
Nathan smiled and then put his other hand on top of hers and gave it a little squeeze. Nothing else was said because the call was made for the workers to return to the barn to finish. Elizabeth went to help with the cleanup after lunch. But neither one stopped, thinking of the conversation they had or the feelings that coursed through them every time they touched.
Charlotte and Elizabeth ended up leaving a bit earlier than Nathan to get ready for the dance. Nathan went to look for her and was disappointed when his mother told him she had left already. Moira smiled to herself as she saw it on his face and then how he perked up when she reminded him about the dance.
Nathan and Gabe were putting the wagon away, and it was the first time they had a chance to talk since meeting Elizabeth.
"Sooo, Nathan, I couldn't help noticing how long you and Elizabeth sat talking by yourselves."
"We were talking about school and just general things, Gabe. It was nothing more than friends getting to know each other."
"Friends, huh?" Gabe said, getting a smug look on his face. "I guess hand-holding is a way of getting to know someone, then?"
Nathan blushed but didn't respond, and Gabe took pity on his friend. "Honestly, I hope that you two continue because I think you two would be a good match."
"Oh, you do, huh?" Nathan said. "I get the impression that Elizabeth isn't really ready for anything more than friendship. Then, of course, her break up with Jack is pretty fresh, and I don't need any more heartbreak if she wants to go back to him."
"From what Charlotte told me, I don't see him as an issue, though she may need time," Gabe said. "All I'm saying is not to shut down the possibility of something more between you and Elizabeth."
"I'll think about it, Gabe," Nathan said, thinking about what his friend was saying.
Moira, Gabe, Allie, and Nathan arrived for the dance a few minutes early, and Nathan and Gabe were ambushed by a few of the single young ladies. They had dropped several hints throughout the day to both men hoping for an offer of an escort. Thankfully Moira intervened by sending Allie over to distract Nathan and Gabe with her exuberance, and the ladies left.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Opal arrived. Charlotte was stopped by a neighbor and indicated for Elizabeth and Opal to go on in. As she stepped inside, they were immediately spotted by Allie and Moira. There was a bit of awkward silence as people saw Elizabeth cleaned up. She had a lovely lavender dress on, her hair was half up, half down, and her chestnut curls cascaded down her back. The purple accented her eyes and her rosy, cupid bow lips. Once again, Nathan was struck by her beauty. As he and Gabe approached, Elizabeth looked over at him, and their gazes locked on each other, and everything else fell away until it was just the two of them. He looked so handsome in his blue suit, taking her breath away. Gabe and Moira watched with knowing smiles at the obvious attraction that seem to be swirling about them. Gabe cleared his throat, breaking the spell and asking Moira if she wanted to dance. This sparked Nathan to ask Elizabeth. As he led her to the floor and took her in his arms, he realized that it felt so natural for her to be there. As the waltz began to play, they moved effortlessly through the steps and easily conversed. As the waltz began to play, they moved effortlessly through the steps and easily conversed.
The song was over long before either was ready for it to be. Gabe claimed her for the very next dance, to Nathan's chagrin. Gabe just smirked at his best friend as he took her in his arms. Elizabeth gave him an amused look as they began to move.
They too quickly fell into conversation, and Elizabeth enjoyed being in both men's company and felt at ease. But she couldn't help noticing the differences in her reactions to them. With Gabe, it was simply a friendship, but with Nathan, that was a whole different matter, and she wasn't sure how to process that. There was no denying that Nathan was handsome, and she was definitely attracted to him. Gabe gave her a knowing look as she found herself looking over where Nathan was dancing with another girl her age. She heard Gabe chuckle, drawing her attention back to him, and saw that he had caught her looking at his friend.
"Don't worry," he said. "Your secret is safe with me, although I don't think it's much of a secret." He added with a wink. She chuckled and felt a blush spread over her cheeks.
"Is it that obvious?" she asked, worried about what others thought.
Gabe looked at her and said, "Only to those who know either of you. But you are not the only one affected. Is something wrong?"
"Elizabeth let out a sigh, "Well, I just got out of a relationship that didn't end well, so I'm not in a position for another. I don't think I have anything to offer him, and I wouldn't want to mislead or hurt him. Besides, I'm dealing with my own issues, and now I have Opal, and I need to be there for her. You see, I was courting Charlotte's son Jack, but it ended at his request when he went to the Northern Territories. It's only been a couple of weeks since that happened."
Recalling what Charlotte had told them, he had a feeling there was more to the story, and he felt compassion as he saw the doubt and pain in her eyes. He sensed there were insecurities that would hinder her willingness to enter into a new relationship. "Well, you'll find that Nathan is a good listener, and even if nothing else develops, I think that you both have a lot in common and can be a good support for one another. He could use help with Allie and her teacher."
"How long have you known the Grants?" Elizabeth asked. "Did you know Allie's mother?"
"Nathan and I have known each other since our academy days," Gabe said. "Colleen was like a sister to me, and of course, Moira is like a second mother."
"Have you ever met Jack?" Elizabeth asked curiously.
"No, I haven't. He has only visited his mother a few times since he became a Mountie, and it was never the same time that we were here. Although he knew Colleen and helped save her from Dylan once when he showed up drunk and was trying to force his way in."
"Really?" Elizabeth said, thinking how small the world was.
"Yes, also, Nathan's family has only lived on the ranch for the last 12 years," Gabe said. "But Moira and Charlotte hit it off right away."
Before Elizabeth could say anything, the song ended, and another young man came to claim Elizabeth for a dance.
Nathan was standing by the punch bowl when Gabe rejoined him. Seeing the direction he was looking, Gabe couldn't resist teasing his friend some more. As they watched, they could see that Elizabeth was getting plenty of looks cast her way. Her current partner was apparently entertaining, and her laugh would ring out occasionally through the dance. As the song ended, she returned to where they were standing and grabbed some punch. Before she arrived, another asked her to dance, but she gracefully declined, saying she needed something to drink. Then as she stood between them, Opal and Allie found them. Gabe excused himself to ask Moira for a dance.
The girls wanted to go outside and asked if Nathan and Elizabeth would accompany them. Wanting to get some air, she readily agreed and was secretly happy when Nathan joined them. The air felt cool but refreshing, and she noticed they weren't the only ones enjoying the night air. Looking up at the night sky, she couldn't believe how beautiful it looked. Even the light from the barn where the doors stood open didn't detract from its splendor. The night sky so enthralled her that she was unaware Nathan was looking at her and admiring her beauty in the moonlight.
"The stars are so beautiful tonight," Elizabeth said finally. "I love looking at the stars at night. I used to stargaze a lot in Hope Valley and did a lesson on the constellations. Remember Opal?"
"Look, there is a shooting star!" Allie said, "Quick, we need to make a wish!"
Elizabeth had been looking over at Nathan when he looked up where Allie pointed. Elizabeth was surprised that her wish included the man next to her and the little girl she had grown to love in a short time. She was deep in thought that she didn't realize that Nathan had turned to look at her, and she blushed when she realized he had caught her. Their gazes locked for a moment before the girls broke the moment by asking Elizabeth about constellations. Nathan's heart raced when he noticed the deep longing in her eyes before she quickly shuttered it. He also sensed there was pain too, so if he chose to pursue her, he would have to go very slowly because he sensed she would spook easily. He was even happier with his transfer now, knowing that it gave him the opportunity to spend more time with her. He wondered if her wish was similar to his and would have been happy to know it had been. It wouldn't have surprised anyone that the two girls' wishes were identical to their parents.
Gabe joined them outside, needing some air himself. Spying some haybales nearby, they moved over to sit down on them. The girls provided entertainment, and time got away from them. While they had been enjoying themselves outside, other couples began to filter out and began to dance as the music was still able to be heard. When the final dance was called, it was Let Me Call You Sweetheart. Gabe turned to Allie and Opal and asked them to dance, which delighted both girls. Nathan could see that it had sparked some sadness in Elizabeth. "Would you like to dance, Elizabeth?" he asked, holding out his hand.
She smiled and placed her hand in his, and stood. The breeze carried his scent to her, and suddenly, her thoughts went from Jack to focus on her partner, and she felt some of the pain ease, allowing her to enjoy the dance. Nathan's heart warmed as he felt her relax, and a genuine smile graced her lips.
Nathan and Elizabeth went to bed that night reliving their dances and conversations and trying to understand the feelings that sparked whenever they were together.